Hey Everyone, I am needing some help / advise but first let me give you a little history about me.. I own Alabama Asylum, my website is www.alabamaasylum.com.
i bought 13 acres and cleared an acre and built a 8000 sq ft house in the middle woods. So the patrons would walk through the woods and then go into the house and walk back out through the woods... To make a long story short I am forced to move my haunt after being in the same location for 5 years... The city is now saying that my property is not zoned for business after 5 years being open, buy licences and paying taxes. now they decided to say this after they have been out here inspecting it as it was being built and in progress.

Enough said got to move on or it will beat me down.... now to my problem at hand now.

I in the process of getting a 70,000 sq ft sewing factory. What would be the ideal size for rooms, cause I have plenty of space. I was also wondering how crazy or stupid would it be to make part of it look like a house (cause I have tons of props and decor of that time). I am also trying to come up with a theme, I am having a brain fart at the moment. Any suggestion/ help/ or advise would be greatfully appreicated.

After I close on the place I will give more information on it and where it is located. I will also start posting my progress of turning into a haunt.. If anyone would like to help on that process would be great///LOL...

Of course its relative to many variables but I think that 250-400 sq ft with 10-12 ft ceilings are very easy to work with. It gives a good set framing to the patron when they enter. Go smaller and the details become blurs and get missed. go bigger and you'll have a hell of a time filling it all.

I think it might be most cost effective to size each room on a grid- with the size of the grid being the minimum required patron clearance- like 3'-4' squares + wall thickness.

My 2 cents worth...

How can a man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the temple of his gods.

Of course its relative to many variables but I think that 250-400 sq ft with 10-12 ft ceilings are very easy to work with. It gives a good set framing to the patron when they enter. Go smaller and the details become blurs and get missed. go bigger and you'll have a hell of a time filling it all.

I think it might be most cost effective to size each room on a grid- with the size of the grid being the minimum required patron clearance- like 3'-4' squares + wall thickness.

My 2 cents worth...

I appreicate your input.. But you lost me on the last part " minimum required patron clearance- like 3'-4' squares + wall thickness."

He means if you are letting in groups of six people, make sure that six people can fit in the room. that is your minimun size. Id say that is about 12'x12' which would be good for a bathroom- most of your rooms being larger than that.

What would be the ideal size for rooms?
***I like 16x16 or larger, six people take up a wall comfortably and can cross it diagonally to all be hit at once.

I was also wondering how crazy or stupid would it be to make part of it look like a house?
PPPThat depends on your theme, Universal does a very good job of building a full facade of a house inside of their warehouses. It can certainly be done. It does sound like you are in a factory so you would be denying your major setting and trying to impose a very different setting on them.

I am also trying to come up with a theme?
I would recommend a factory theme since you have a factory building. a cursed factory of some sort. Maybe it makes toys, furniture (you have a bunch of house stuff) or Chainsaws! I think a haunted chainsaw factory is waiting to happen in the haunt industry...but thats just me. It would be easier to add a sign and lighting to the putside as opposed to completely try to change the feeling it already has going for it. It could easily be turned into a lab or chemical plant as well, but a castle would be a long stretch.
try to find- a setting, characters, and a situation- that makes a complete theme.
If you can get my design DVD- I made it to help people in your situation. I think its good material, but you might want to ask around.
Allen H

Specifically, I meant the path width. Our fire marshal is comfortable with 36" halls and pathways, so I designed the layout based on 36" squares + I added 5" for wall thicknesses- so 41" squares basically- but Allen was correct in interpretation.

How can a man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the temple of his gods.

Think Big,
Think Hollywood with storyboards and storylines, and develop it.
Build the story first. The space will allow you to build whatever you need to fit the theme so be consistent to your theme.
You have ALL the space you need to go as big as you want.
Rather than thinking small rooms, think big rooms, tall walls, layers, ceiling detailing.
Let the space speak to you, inspire you to create to express the space.
It is a factory. A factory of what is the question?

Think Big,
Think Hollywood with storyboards and storylines, and develop it.
Build the story first. The space will allow you to build whatever you need to fit the theme so be consistent to your theme.
You have ALL the space you need to go as big as you want.
Rather than thinking small rooms, think big rooms, tall walls, layers, ceiling detailing.
Let the space speak to you, inspire you to create to express the space.
It is a factory. A factory of what is the question?

It was a Sewing Factory,, It was build in the early 1940's. closed down in 2005.. been closed ever since.

I appreciate all the input..

I was thing a story line about a worker that went crazy and started skinning other workers and making mask and clothes out of their skin.. and he was know as STICH...

How is that for a short story start... I will get make a full detail version of it..

I also like the idea of a chainsaw haunt... but i will have to think how to theme it and make it... unless Alan has more details of his vision.